Runaway
by The Bagpiper
Summary: On Christmas Eve Ginny discovers something that changes her life forever. Knowing that her discovery will only lead to heartache she runs away from everything she loves. Panic ensues when the Weasley's find out that their youngest is gone. They will search high and low for her... but first they will come to terms with the fact that Ginny held a lot of secrets from them. D/G


_**Disclaimer, I do not own anything Harry Potter related, except movies and books...**_

She had been sick every morning for a few weeks now but during the Christmas holiday it had gotten worse. On Christmas eve, her mother had made a delicious meal that she had shared with her family, Hermione and Harry but it hadn't tasted right. It had made her nauseous but she didn't know why. The coin dropped the next morning. Her mother had baked her special Christmas cake, Ginny's favorite but only the smell of them made her violently sick.

Hermione had asked her what was wrong but she just brushed it off. She told Hermione that her stomach was upset from all the food she had eaten the night before. Luckily the girl believed her and left her to take a long shower to think.

 _It can't be!_ She thought to herself but that annoying voice in her head told her why it could be the perfect answer for her sickness. Having unprotected sex sometimes created these results. _No, I can't be pregnant, it would kill my family, it would kill him, his parents would kill him._

He didn't know something was wrong. He didn't know that she was sick every morning. One of the perks of being head girl was a private bathroom, _and having the most sexy head boy to live with in private quarters_ , Ginny though with a smile. A sharp stab in her upset stomach reminded her why that was a bad thing as well.

Later on Christmas day Ginny had stolen Hermione's book advanced spell work, she remembered reading something in it about pregnancy spells. She wanted conformation, to be sure.

Alone in her bedroom, it was around midnight when Ginny casted the spell. A golden light would appear when she was indeed pregnant, a silver light when she was not. With an unsteady hand she waved her wand and muttered the words. Within seconds the light that enveloped her stomach turned gold. A bright gold with a darker edge. With a quick glance in the book she concluded that the dark edge meant that she was already three months along. Cursing herself for not noticing it earlier, Ginny realized that there was nothing she could do about it now. She was too far along to even consider abortion.

That night she cried, she cried for her own stupidity, she cried for her family, for her secret boyfriend, for what this news would do to him. Only when the first rays of sun started to appear she felt asleep.

Ginny woke up when somebody knocked on her door.

"Ginny?" she heard Hermione ask.

"Yes."

Hermione walked in and looked at her, stopping short when she really looked at the red heads face.

"Still sick? Did you even sleep?" Hermione asked with a worried voice.

"Yeah, I still don't feel really well."

"I'll tell your mother that you will stay in bed, okay?" Hermione said as she left the room.

"Thanks."

Ginny lay in bed for many hours thinking about what to do next. She couldn't tell her parents, they would die of shame when they heard that their daughter has been shagging with a former Death Eater. She couldn't tell Ron, Hermione or Harry, they would tell others and be angry with her. She didn't want to loose them as friends. Telling the child's father was out of the question. Their relationship is a forbidden one, nobody knew about them and although she knew he loved her very much and would do anything for her, she just couldn't do this to him and destroy his life. She loved him too much for that.

No, she wouldn't put him or her family through this shame, she had made the mistake and she was going to deal with it.

Relieved that she made a decision she went to take a shower and got dressed, a sturdy jeans, white tank top, a sweater over it and good walking booths she went downstairs just in time for dinner.

"Feel better?" her mother asked.

"Yes, lots, I'm hungry but after that I'm going back to bed. I need to sleep it off." Ginny told her mother.

"That might be better." Her mother said as she served her daughter some food.

After dinner Ginny went back up to her bedroom and locked the door with a spell. She pulled her backpack from under her bed and started to fill it with winter prove clothes. She dived under her bed to retrieve her moneybag. It was full and would sustain her for a long time. She had been saving ever since her parents gave her pocket money. It was now a good sum. It had been destined for a racing broom for her try-out at the harpies but that was the past now. No longer a future that could exist. She shrunk a few blankets and packed them as well and packed some other personal items.

With a sigh she sat down and pulled a fresh piece of parchment to her, she dipped her quill in the ink and started to write the letter that ensured there was no going back.

 _Dear family._

 _I'm alright. I have not been kidnapped or hurt in any way. I have made a big mistake and my leaving would ensure that this mistake wouldn't affect you all badly because I know that if I stay they will._

 _Know that I will never regret my actions. Even though they lead to this issue. Also know that I love you and will send you letters so that you know I'm still alive and well. Maybe one day when things in this world change I can come back without putting you all to shame._

 _I love you all. Take care of each other,_

 _Love,_

 _Ginny._

She folded the note and left it on the desk. Silently she sneaked out of the house and apparated away from the Burrow.

G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~

5 day's later:

"Professor!"

"Yes, mister Malfoy?"

"Do you know where Ginny is, professor?" Draco asked the head mistress after dinner. Draco was so worried about his secret girlfriend, he hadn't received a letter from her after Christmas and she hadn't showed up at dinner when they returned to Hogwarts after the Christmas holidays. He was afraid something bad had happened to her.

"Why don't you come with me." McGonagall said solemn and Draco felt his heart sink, something was really wrong. Once they were seated in the round office McGonagall looked at him.

"Draco, you have to be completely honest with me. As head mistress of this school I know things, I know what happens within these walls, so I know about you and miss Weasley."

Draco gasped.

"Draco, have you heard anything from miss Weasley since Christmas day?"

"No, that's why I asked you if you knew where she is. What's going on?"

"It seems that miss Weasley ran away from home the day after Christmas."

"What?" Draco asked shocked.

"She left a small note for her family, it told them that she had made some mistake that could harm her family. Nobody has seen or heard from her since Boxing day. Do you know what mistake she meant?"

Draco felt weak and lost, he started to shake and a strange sob escaped from him.

"There… there is only one I can think off. Dating me. She always said that her family wouldn't approve and neither would mine. I told her that I didn't care about that but she wouldn't listen. I don't see how that would have been a reason to run away." He said weakly.

McGonagall looked at him for a long time. She felt sorry for him, he could see it in her eyes. After a while she nodded and told him he could return to his room.

He barely made it there before breaking down in sobs.

"Why Ginny?" he repeated the question over and over again as he cried in front of the fire. He loved her with everything he had. She had been the one that saw through his cold mask. She had been the one that had shown him what love was. For he had never really known love. He just couldn't believe that she had taken it away, all of it, something else was going on, something must have happened for her to leave so sudden.

Before he could do anything he heard an owl tap on the window. He got up and opened the window. An owl flew in. he didn't know the owl but when he glanced at the letter it was holding he recognized the handwriting immediately.

Ripping the letter away from the owl he broke the seal and opened it.

 _My dear Draco,_

 _By now you must have realized that I didn't come back, maybe you have already heard about me running away. Trust me when I say that I couldn't think of any another solution._

 _I have made a mistake, one that could harm and bring shame to you. It can ruin your whole life. I love you too much to let that happen. Your life have been terrible enough as it is, you deserve happiness now and although you don't agree, I know that, that happiness won't be found in dating a blood traitor. Your family would not have it._

 _I have found a safe place to stay and I will stay here for now. Maybe one day when our world is changed and except us. I'll come back but don't count on it. If you get a chance to live your life happily please do._

 _I will always love you._

 _I'm yours,_

 _Ginny._

Draco read the letter over and over. He didn't even notice the tears running down his face. The realization that she had run away to give him a happy life stung painfully. _How could she think that I would ever be happy without her_ , he thought desperately. He wondered what safe place she had found. If he would be able to find her because it wasn't even a question of if he went looking for her but how. He was going to search the planet for her and if he couldn't find her here than he would try it on the moon.

The next day he owled an old friend of his dad. A private detective. Someone who had knowledge of the muggle and wizarding world. He wrote down what he wanted from him and that he was willing to pay the top price if the man would find Ginny. While he wrote the letter he played with a small box. Inside was a ring. He had bought it for her over Christmas. For weeks he had dreamed about proposing to her.

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Two months later the Weasley's received another note from their lost daughter. They, like Draco, had hired people to search for her but so far neither of them had any luck. It was Harry who read out the note to the family.

 _Dear family,_

 _Can you believe I am missing the noise of the Burrow. It's so quiet here, so peaceful. I'm writing later than expected because it took me a while to find a good place to stay but I found on and I am hoping to stay here for a while._

 _I'm doing alright, just a bit lonely but it's better like this. I read in the daily Prophet about Ron and Hermione's engagement, congratulations. I wish I can be there to see the ring for myself. I'm sorry that I can't._

 _I'll try to write again sooner,_

 _Love, Ginny._

Although they were happy that they received any kind of news from her the whole Weasley family cried that evening. If she wasn't coming back to watch her brother getting married, than what would bring her back home?

A day later McGonagall informed Draco about the new letter the Weasley family had received.

"I know." Draco whispered. "I got a letter from her as well last night."

"What did she write?" McGonagall asked.

"Same as she told her family, that she felt lonely but that it was better this way. She even suggested I should get on with my life." Draco whimpered.

"But you can't?"

"No, of course not. I even bought her an engagement ring. I love her." Draco cried.

"Did she give you any new clues about why she has left?"

"No, all I know is that it wasn't because of us. I'm sure there is more going on. She always writes that she loves me too much to have her mistake affect me."

McGonagall nodded and looked thoughtfully at the broken boy in front of her.

"Draco, it might sound insane but perhaps we should tell the Weasleys about this, combine your efforts to find her. They are broken, you are broken. Maybe working together will help and find her."

"They will blame everything on me." Draco said.

"I don't think so, they will be happy to receive some help."

"I'll think about it."

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Five days later Draco sat nervously in a chair in front of McGonagall's desk, he had agreed on meeting Mr. and Mrs. Weasley that evening. McGonagall had contacted them and invited them for some information sharing at her office. She hadn't told them about Draco yet.

McGonagall had gone out for a second to get the Weasleys. The office was quiet and it made him only more nervous. Draco was fingering his wand nervously when the door opened. He got up and turned around to see the Weasleys enter. If had thought he looked bad because of the lack of sleep and self care since Ginny left it was nothing to her parents. Mrs. Weasley lost so much weight and Mr. Weasley looked so tired. Like he hadn't been sleeping for a minute since Christmas.

"Molly, Arthur, I don't know if you have ever met Draco Malfoy, he is our head boy."

They shook hands and introduced themselves. Draco immediately sensed that Arthur didn't trust him but that Molly didn't care as long as she got her daughter back.

"Why are we here, Minerva?" Arthur asked.

"Draco?" McGonagall said with a nod to the boy. He turned to Molly Weasley and handed her the two letters he had received from Ginny. He watched as the Weasleys read them, he saw Molly tearing up and Arthur getting red with anger. He was already preparing himself for his anger when Molly suddenly got up and pulled him into her arms.

"Oh, Draco, if I only had known. You must feel so terrible."

He was stunned for a second but patted the woman on her back as she sobbed on his shoulder. This was the first real motherly hug he had ever had. Some how it felt comforting to him. He loved his own mother and she loved him dearly but they didn't show their affection this way.

"Molly?" Arthur asked.

"Arthur, I know you don't approve of the Malfoys but if Ginny loves him than there must be something good in him. She has always been able to tell the good from the bad."

"But these letters tell us nothing about where she is, the only news is that apparently our daughter is in love with him."

"No, they don't" McGonagall intervened before Arthur started to blame Draco for everything, "but Draco has been doing the same thing as your family to find her. I suggested for him to meet you so that you can combine your efforts."

"What has he done then?" Arthur asked still suspicious.

"I have asked a private detective to search for her. Mr. Duffly has been looking for her since I returned from the Christmas holiday."

"Mr. Duffly? THE Mr. Duffly? The ex-auror?" Molly asked.

"Yes, if anyone is able to find her it will be him. Besides that I have been sending out owls to her daily but I don't know if she receives them."

"Has he found anything?" Arthur asked strained.

"Nothing of importance, there was a witch who had seen her near a coastal town in Scotland but by the time he located the hostel where she has stayed she was already gone. The owner couldn't tell where she headed next. After that there has been nothing." Draco sighed.

"When was that?"

"A week after the Christmas holidays."

The evening was a quiet affair, they talked about possible location where they would be able to find Ginny. Draco wrote down a few of her favorite places so he could visit them and look for her there. They also agreed that Draco would be spending his Easter holiday with the Weasleys in the hope that they could find her than. Although he feared facing her brothers and Harry, Draco realized that if he found her they would become his family because there was no way he would ever let go of her again.

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Draco's birthday was shortly before Easter but he was on no mood to celebrate it. He decided to stay in his bed for the day, fantasizing about what could have been. It was shortly before midday an owl flew in with a small package. He got up and grabbed the package, he wondered for a second who send it because all his other gifts had arrived before he woke up that morning.

The handwriting he recognized immediately and he tore the package open.

Inside he found a necklace with a pendant, it was a lion with a snake around it. It was made in silver, muggle silver. He looked at it for a second before turning to the letter that accompanied the gift.

 _Dearest Draco,_

 _Happy birthday! I hope you are celebrating it because I am. I made a small cake and sang for you this morning. I blew out the candle for you and made a wish. I'm not going to tell it because I desperately want it to be reality._

 _I hope you like my gift. I found it in a muggle shop and it reminded me about us. Not that I need any reminders, every time I look in the mirror I am remembered about us. Still I hope you like the gift and think about me every now and then._

 _I have been thinking about that I should stop writing you. I want you to continue a happy life and with me writing you I'm not sure if that is possible. I mean what would your girlfriend think if she sees letters from a secret relationship. Still I miss you too much to stop writing. I have started a journal and I hope one day you can read it and understand._

 _I love you and miss you._

 _Yours, Ginny._

Draco cried for hours after reading that letter he felt miserable and everything hurt. The idea of her to stop writing him was more painful than anything. He just had to find her and find her soon.

He went to his desk and wrote Mr. Duffly a letter, requesting to involve the muggle community in the search. If she had been shopping in a muggle shop than maybe she was living in an all-muggle town. He suggested using all muggle broadcast systems and getting results soon.

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Easter at the Weasleys would normally been a fun affair. Decorating eggs, having big dinners and playing outside in the first real warmth of the sun but not this year. Although Mrs. Weasley was kept busy with planning a wedding everybody felt the pain of missing a family member.

Much to Draco's and Molly's relieve the whole family accepted Draco quickly. It was a bit strained at the beginning but once they saw how dedicated Draco was to Ginny they accepted his help. The first two days of the Easter holiday they sat around the kitchen table and compared everything they knew. Draco pulled up the reports he got back from Duffly and handed them freely to the twins. They missed their sister so badly that they didn't even pull a joke during those two days.

"Draco? Can I see the letters she wrote to you?" Hermione asked on the third day. Draco nodded and handed the three letters to Hermione.

"Ron, have you seen my book on advanced spell work?" Hermione asked after she read the letters. Draco could see a fire in her eyes, like she suddenly had though of the right answer.

"Uhm, the last time I saw it was with our search in Ginny's room. It was on her desk."

Hermione got up and ran up the stairs. Draco looked at her running, some how he felt a bit of hope return. Only seconds later he felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to see it was Harry's.

"She has been like that ever since. She thinks of something, runs off only to come back crying because it didn't work. Don't get too much hope when she is like that." Harry said softly. Draco was surprised to see this softer side of Harry, he had always known that Harry was the good guy but for him to try and comfort Draco or prevent him from getting hurt all over was new to Draco.

When Hermione didn't return for an hour Draco started to wonder what had happened, if she had found out anything.

"She's in Ginny's room." Ron said when he saw Draco looking at the stairs. Draco nodded and got up. He slowly made his way up the stairs to the right landing. He knocked softly on the door and heard Hermione say, "come in, Draco."

"How did you know it was me?"

"Only you can walk up the stairs so silently." Hermione said with a watery smile. Draco saw she had been crying.

"What is wrong?" he asked as he sat down next to her.

"I know why Ginny left." Hermione whispered.

"What?" Draco yelped.

Hermione handed him a large book he recognized from school. It was opened on a page that looked like someone had been crying over. It was rippled with round stains that looked like tears. He read the top of the page, ' _the revealing spell – how to check if a person is pregnant_ '. He read that line at least a dozen times before turning to Hermione.

"It's not fun to joke about this, you know?" he spat at her.

"I'm not." She whispered. "During Christmas Ginny was sick, specially in the morning she was throwing out all her food. She shrugged it off as an upset stomach. In the letters she talks about a mistake. One she doesn't regret but that could bring shame to both families. A mistake that could ruin your life but she also write that if our world were more accepting that things would have been different. Than in the last letter to you she write that every time she looks in the mirror she is reminded of the two of you. When I opened this book I found Ginny's favorite book marker on this page, it is completely covered with dried up tears."

Draco listened to Hermione in complete shock. He couldn't move and he couldn't breath. He couldn't even think. It was only when he felt Hermione's hand on his own he was able to pull out of his stupor.

"This can't be real." He breathed. "Are you completely sure?"

Hermione nodded. Draco groaned in misery and blinked the tears out of his eyes. He thought back to those months he spend with Ginny, he tried to remember if they had ever talked about protection but he couldn't. It had never been questioned. He had just assumed.

"I'm so stupid." He groaned and let his head fall on the table.

"It's a decision made by two people. A mistake made by two people." Hermione whispered.

"I just never questioned it." Draco muttered. "Now what? Ginny is out there somewhere! Running away for nothing. She is all alone and pregnant for lord knows how many months…" Draco stopped short and turned to look at Hermione.

"Do you have any idea how long?"

"I'm not sure. With Christmas we couldn't see anything different about her and morning sickness normally stops after the third month, so maybe with Christmas she was two months pregnant. That makes her now around six months pregnant."

"Oh god." He groaned again. "We have to hurry, we have to find her before she gives birth. She can't do that alone."

"Draco, what will you do when we find her? She ran away for a reason and although it sounds stupid, there is some kind of truth in her words. Your family would never accept her. They would throw you out, or do even worse. Nobody in the wizarding community will except that a Weasley has a child with a former Death Eater."

"Those are just assumptions, I told my mother where I am and why. I told her everything about Ginny and me, she doesn't care, she just want me to be happy. Even my father agreed to that. We have to find her Hermione."

"And than?"

"I'll go on one knee and give her that damn ring that has been burning a hole in my pocket since Christmas." He sighed. Hermione looked shocked for a second but recovered with a sad smile.

"We will have to look harder but lets keep this between us. The boys might just kill you if they find out."

Draco nodded, "just let us find her before…"

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Draco's wish wasn't answered. Although the use of muggle broadcast systems had given some sort of results by midsummer they still hadn't found her. The only thing Draco knew was that she was somewhere in Ireland, most likely in the north because sightings reports came from that area but even that part of the country was big. Not to mention that Ginny was a witch, a powerful and skilled one. She could easily hide herself.

On July the second Draco received another letter from Ginny. He was sitting in the drawing room inside the manor with Harry and Hermione. They had discussing a more active search and were planning on heading out for a long camping trip to look for her.

Draco was shaking as he opened the letter.

 _Dearest Draco,_

 _Yesterday I got conformation that I made the right choice. Our secret would have been out. Even now after almost six months alone I still do not regret my mistake or my decision but if people find out about it your life will be destroyed._

 _I hope you are well. Even in these circumstances I'm doing well, I miss you and love you._

 _I love you enough to hope that by now you have found yourself a nice girl who takes care of you. I still hope that one day I can explain it all to you._

 _I love you._

 _Yours, Ginny._

"The baby is born." Draco whispered as he handed Hermione the letter. Draco had told Harry about Ginny's pregnancy. He had needed a guy to talk with about it and Harry seemed the only suitable option. He was sure Harry would understand and to Draco's surprise he did without questioning. Harry had quickly become his friend and support and he was thankful for it.

Hemione cried softly as she read the letter. "If there was only a way of contacting her." She whispered.

"You know what this means don't you, Draco?" Harry asked after he read the letter.

"What?"

"That your son or daughter looks like you. If he or she looked like Ginny, she would have considered it safe to return. She could have written it off as an one-night-mistake with somebody unknown." Harry said.

For Draco it was a vague dreamlike concept. He couldn't come to terms with the fact that his first son or daughter had been born and it hurt him to no end that he wasn't there to see it happen.

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Even though they searched for Ginny the whole summer, according to the twins they had looked in every corner of Ireland, by the time it autumn started they still hadn't found her. Draco started to loose all hope of ever finding her again.

Harry, Ron and Hermione all returned to London for their work but Harry had promised him that he would use his connections in the auror office to see that they wouldn't forget about Ginny. Draco decided to stay in Ireland. Mr. Duffly had received some new leads that confirmed she was still in that region. The most hopeful lead was of a witch in Belfast that had seen a girl with flaming red hair carrying a small baby with blonde hair.

It was on Halloween night that Draco booked himself a hotel room in a wizard's hotel in Belfast. He decided to stay there for as long as he got leads that told him Ginny was close.

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When Christmas arrived Draco was so depressed that he didn't even took time to eat anymore. Molly Weasley had invited him to come over with Christmas but he reclined. Harry had promised Draco that he would come to Belfast over the holidays to help him search but Draco doubted that Harry would be helpful.

Exactly a week before Christmas Draco received another letter from Ginny.

 _Dearest Draco,_

 _I'm sorry I don't write as often as I should but maybe it is better for you this way. With Christmas coming up I couldn't help but wishing you were here. Almost daily I dream about you but the last few weeks it's almost like you are so close, like I just need to turn around and see you walking up the street. Silly of course._

 _Last week I saw in the Daily Prophet that Ron and Hermione got married, I'm feeling so bad that I couldn't be there but at the moment I can't travel. I will not destroy the chance I gave you to live a normal life, as hard as it sometimes may seem._

 _I love you so much,_

 _Yours, Ginny._

Draco had shouted, cursed and yelled at everything in reach to get his anger out of his system. He was angry with Ginny for being so stubborn but he was even more angry with himself for not being able to find her.

When Harry arrived the next day he found Draco drunk and in a very bad shape. It took a long time convincing Draco to sleep off the booze and take a shower after that.

"What if we find Ginny today? Would you want her to see you like that!" Harry had yelled at him and it had done the trick. Seven hours later Draco woke up and took a long cleaning shower. When he heard voices in de kitchen, a female voice he knew so well.

"Mom?" he said as he stepped into the kitchen.

"Oh my boy, what have you done to yourself?" She cried as she pulled him in a hug.

"Mum, what are you doing here?"

"Visiting you of course, you don't write me back anymore. I got worried and asked Molly if she had heard anything from you. She was worried as well, so I decided to come and take care of you for a few days."

Draco nodded and slumped down in his chair.

"Thanks." He sighed.

"Draco?" Harry started slowly.

"Yes."

"Your mother might have an idea for how we can find Ginny."

"Really?" Draco said as he shot up.

"Yeah." His mother nodded. "The Daily prophet."

"We tried that one already." Draco sighed.

"No, what I meant is that if I understand her letters correctly she still receives it, the Daily Prophet must knows where to deliver her subscription."

Draco lost all color at once only to have it return in seconds. His eyes flamed and he was already on his way to his desk to write the Prophet.

"Draco!" Harry called him back.

"What?"

"I have already done that, I have used the floo-network to contact Kingsley. As minister he is the only one who can get that kind of information. Because I think she is using another name for her subscription I have asked for a complete list of all those who live in the Belfast area."

"And?"

"Kingsley is working on it, he said he would report back no later than tomorrow at noon."

Draco slumped against the wall and sank to the floor. He hated waiting but he hadn't seen Ginny for a year sure one day more he could wait.

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Shaking with nerves Draco stepped onto a small garden path. In his hand he was holding an address that he was checking every two seconds. This was it.

Three days ago Kingsley had shown up with a list of people receiving the prophet in the area around Belfast. Most of addresses they had easily dismissed but a few had to be checked and this was the last address. If she wasn't here he would grumble and die. He decided that this was his last hope and that if she weren't here he would find a way to kill himself. He just couldn't go on with out her. The few months of complete happiness were just unforgettable.

It was Christmas eve and from inside the house came a soft sound that sounded like Christmas carols. Somebody was singing along and he was almost sure that he recognized Ginny's voice.

He softly knocked on the door and everything in the house fell silent.

"Coming!" came from inside. His heart was beating so fast that it hurt. It was Ginny's voice. Holding on to the doorpost with one hand Draco made sure his legs wouldn't give away. He heard the bolt on the door being unlocked and slowly the door opened.

"Hello?" her soft voice said.

Draco looked up and met her deep brown eyes.

"Draco!" Ginny gasped. She jumped back as he stumbled towards her. "Draco?"

He just couldn't answer, nothing seemed to function properly anymore. In front of him stood the angel he remembered. Fiery red hair, fair skin and deep brown eyes. He reached out for her and pulled her to him. He wrapped his arms around her and decided that he was never going to let her go again.

"Ginny." He breathed. She melted in his arms and returned the hug. Slowly both started to shake and sobbed. Draco had just about enough sense to step in and close the door behind him before they both sank to the floor. His knees just weren't capable to hold him up anymore. "Oh, Ginny." He cried in her hair.

Ginny felt completely weak with grief, pain, relieve and love. She was finally back in the arms of the only man she ever really loved and still loved. In that moment she didn't even care to wonder what he was doing here and why he had come to find her in the first place.

They held each other and cried for hours. Slowly Draco's senses returned and softly her started to kiss her cheek, neck and face. He just wanted to remember every freckle, every bit of skin.

"I love you." He whispered over and over again.

After a while they were interrupted by a loud cry. It pulled Ginny back to the present and she pulled away from Draco but he didn't let go of her.

"Draco, you have to go, you can't do this to yourself." She whispered.

"Ginny…" Draco tried.

"No, Draco, I left for a reason, it could ruin your life."

"Ginny, love." Draco whispered as he pulled her closer once again. "I know about the lovely mistake we **both** made. Hermione figured it out around Easter."

Ginny pulled away from him and looked up at him. Her eyes were wide with shock.

"You know?" she breathed. "You? Hermione…"

The child cried even louder and pulled on Draco's heart.

"Lets stop the crying first, than I'll explain everything to you. After that you have a lot of explaining to do." Draco said calmly. So calm he surprised himself, he was about to meet his son or daughter for the first time. He had just found the woman he had been looking for, for almost a year and yet he was ale to think very clear. It was like all the pieces had fallen in the right place.

Ginny looked around her for a second. She felt utterly confused. How did Draco know? Since when did he said Hermione's first name and why would they talk with Hermione about her? So many questions but the cry of her baby made it impossible to focus on them.

She glanced at Draco for a second and turned towards the nursery. To her surprised Draco didn't let go of her and followed her to the small bedroom behind the kitchen. She hesitated to open the door. Again she looked at Draco.

"It's alright, I would love to meet her or him." He whispered. Some sort of relieved fluttered over her face.

"At first I was afraid that you would be angry with me for not being careful." She whispered.

"No, never. Besides a very smart friend of you pointed out that it takes two people make that sort of mistake. Not just one." Draco whispered to her, his eyes showed nothing but honesty.

"You really need to explain that part about that smart witch to me soon." Ginny sighed and pushed the door open.

"Hey little one, what has gotten you so upset?" Ginny said as she turned on the light. Draco gasped as he saw how minimal the nursery was decorated, soft streaks of pink colored the wall, a small rocking chair sat in the corner and a old looking wooden crib stood in the middle of the room. A few toys were littered across the floor and a small box with kids clothing stood next to the door. It would have shocked him to his core if that spot wasn't already taken by the realization that his first born with a girl, his daughter.

"A girl?" he asked searching for conformation.

"Yes, isn't she a beauty." Ginny said as she heaved the little girl out her crib. Draco stepped closer to have a look at the child. Beautiful was an understatement. In Ginny's arms lay a small girl with fair skin, stormy grey eyes and light blonde hair, her face was covered with freckles and a few red streaks of hair through the blonde showed that it was indeed Ginny's child.

"So beautiful." Draco whispered as he reached out for the child. Ginny handed her to him with a guarded expression, like she was scared of him. Draco smiled at her to show her that he wasn't going to do anything. It was only when he took his daughter fully into his arms that he noticed the tears running down his face.

"What did you name her?" Draco asked as he looked down at the little girl.

"Cissy Molly Malfoy." Ginny breathed. Draco looked up at her. He shifted the baby in his arms so he could wrap one free arm around Ginny. He pulled her to him and crashed his lips to hers. After a few seconds of a passionate kiss he pulled back and looked into the deep brown of her eyes.

"I love you, it's so perfect."

Ginny smiled for second before breaking down in tears.

"I'm so sorry, I have been stupid, haven't I?" she sobbed against his chest.

"Yes." He whispered in her hair. "But I'll forgive you as long as you promise me never to do something like that ever again."

"But… what about your life, people wouldn't except us." Ginny muttered against his shoulder.

"I know for a fact that, that isn't true. I'll explain that later but Ginny, really, I didn't have a life without you. For the last year I have done everything I could to find you. Since Halloween I have been in Belfast searching for you, I almost gave up hope when my mother figured out how to find you."

"Your mother?" Ginny gasped.

"Yes, my mom has been helping looking for you since Easter." Draco smiled at her. Ginny shook her head a few times in the hope it would clear up or to confirm that it was a torturous dream. A soft cry of Cissy reminded her that this was really happening and cleared her head for a while.

"I have to change her diaper and feed her." Ginny whispered. Draco nodded and handed the small child back to Ginny. He watched as Ginny lay the child down in the crib and changed the diaper. She looked so skilled as a mother. When the little girl was dressed Ginny pulled her up and carried her to the kitchen.

"I'm feeding her smashed fruit. It was a gift from my neighbor." Ginny muttered.

"Shall I make us some tea?" Draco asked as Ginny sat down on a small chair to feed Cissy.

"Please."

While his daughter was being fed Draco mused over the strange emotional evening. Deep in his heart he had feared that he would never find them. Even when he knocked on that door he was scared that it was the wrong address. Now he was in a small poorly decorated house making tea for his girl and watched her feed his daughter.

"Tell me about her." He whispered as he sat down next to Ginny. She looked up and smiled at him.

"Cissy was born on the second of July. Here in this house, my neighbor is a muggle midwife and offered to help me without charging. I think she felt sorry for me. She helped me through the last days of my pregnancy and through the first week after she was born. It was a long day, painful and worse because the muggle wouldn't leave so I couldn't perform healing spells until the evening after. Cissy has been an interesting baby that's for sure. She can look so much like you. Her reaction to new things is the same as yours but she does have my temper."

"Oh boy." Draco sighed.

"Hey, that's not fair." Ginny said as she hit his shoulder. "To be honest my temper is the only Weasley part, the rest is pure Malfoy."

Draco looked at the small girl in awe. Would she really be a Malfoy? He could almost imagine her eleven years old and strutting through the Hogwarts halls. When Ginny finished feeding Cissy they moved to a small living room. A lonely sofa stood in the middle and a desk and reading chair next to the window. Ginny placed Cissy on a thick blanket and handed her some toys. They sat in silence for a while watching the little girl play.

Draco noticed the old clock on the wall and realized that Harry and his mother were waiting for him.

"Ginny?"

"Yes."

"Is your house connected to the floo-network?"

"Yes, why?"

"Harry and my mother are in my hotel room in Belfast. They are waiting for me to return. I don't want to leave you but they have to know that I have found you."

Ginny bit her lip and looked at her shoes.

"Do they know about Cissy?" she asked.

"Harry does, my mother doesn't but I am sure that it won't be an issue, she will fall in love with her the moment she sees her."

"Your mother… is she supportive of us?"

"Yes, she has been helping me and your family searching as much as she could. She even spend a whole week with your mother in one tent last summer. She only wants me happy and that can only be accomplished when I'm with you."

"Than asked them to come over. I don't want Harry to run of to my family, we need to talk first."

"I know and we will." Draco promised and kissed the top of her head. He hurried over to the fireplace and threw in some floo powder. Ginny watched him as he talked to Harry and Narcissa. She was worried, scared even but she knew that Harry would listen to her like he had always done and she prayed to every god she knew that Draco was right about his mother.

"They will arrive soon." Draco whispered as he sat down next to Ginny again.

"I'm scared." Ginny confessed.

"There is really no reason to be scared. Your parents and the twins will be angry with you for running off but only because they will think the reason for running away is ridiculous."

"It seems like you have got to know my family quite well." Ginny whispered.

"Yes, I have spend every free day since Easter with at least one of them. I even visited your bother in Romania just to check that you weren't there and to see if he knew something."

"Really?"

"Yes, really. We combined our efforts to find you during the Easter holidays. That was when Hermione found out that you left because you were pregnant. I wanted to find you before the birth, I wanted to be there with you."

"I'm sorry." Ginny whispered.

"Just don't ever leave me again."

Ginny nodded and kissed him deeply. She still was scared and completely confused by the idea of her family and the Malfoys working together. Even enjoying each others company but she hoped that soon everything will be explained.

Their kiss was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"I'll get it, you take Cissy." Draco told Ginny. Ginny nodded nervously and pulled her daughter into her arms. She listened to Draco as he opened the door. She heard him greeting Harry and his mother. Ginny could almost feel her heart beating through her ribcage. It got worse as she heard the footsteps coming closer. She eyes widened in fear as the door opened.

Slowly Harry walked in and looked at her. His eyes betrayed his feelings of utter relieve. With two large steps he moved towards her and pulled her in a hug.

"Don't ever do that to us again. You nearly killed Draco and your family is destroyed with grief ever since you left. Don't ever do that again." He whispered as he held her tight.

"I'm so sorry, Harry, really."

"Ginny?" Draco asked as Harry released her. "This is my mother, Narcissa Malfoy."

Ginny walked over and held out her hand.

"It's nice to meet you Mrs. Malfoy."

The woman took her hand and shook it but her eyes were on the small girl in Ginny's arms. Ginny watched the older woman's eyes widen in shock as she took in the little girl. There was no way she wouldn't recognize her own son in the small girl.

"Is this the reason you left?" Narcissa whispered.

"To protect Draco from the shame this would cause on his family." Ginny whispered.

"My granddaughter?"

"Yes." Ginny nodded.

Suddenly Narcissa pulled Ginny in her arms and hugged her as hard as she could without crushing the child.

"That's the silliest reason I have ever heard." Narcissa said as she released Ginny. She looked Ginny in the eye and said, "We were all raised to follow the rules of being a good pure blood but never ever have I really believed them. I only ever followed them to ensure the safety of my family and I'm sure Lucius thinks the same. You would have been welcome. My son's happiness is was counts and now also the happiness of you and your daughter."

"Thank you." Ginny whispered as she hugged the woman again.

"What is her name?" Narcissa asked. Ginny blushed a bit.

"Cissy Molly Malfoy."

Narcissa gasped, "You named her after me? And your mother? A Malfoy? Really?"

"Yes, this little girl is a Malfoy through and through, the only Weasley part is my temper."

"Oh boy." Harry said echoing Draco.

"Hey!" Ginny yelled at him but both men chuckled.

A few minutes later they were all sitting in the living room. Cissy was happily playing in Narcissa's arms. Draco had been right, Narcissa had fallen head over heals for the little girl. To Ginny it was all strangely surreal, after so many month with absolutely no contact other than the Daily Prophet and her neighbor, her living room was now filled with people she really cared about.

"So…" Harry started. "What happened?"

Ginny looked at him for a second and closed her eyes. She took in a deep breath and sighed.

"I fell in love with Draco the day we returned to Hogwarts, we fought a few times, I even hexed him once but after a month or so we both realized it and we never looked back." Ginny remembered those days with a fond smile. "I started to get sick as Christmas approached but I found out I was pregnant the day after Christmas. I panicked, all I could think about was how people would react, about how my family would flip out and the shame it would bring to them to hear I was dating a former Death Eater. I thought about what this could do to Draco. His parents would never agree to us. He would be thrown out or even worse. I just panicked and thought that pulling myself away from it all was the best solution." She took a deep breath before continuing. "At first it was easy to stick to it, I just had to remind myself why I did it but the last days of the pregnancy were hard and I missed everybody so much. When Cissy was born it reminded me of why I had ran away, she looked exactly like Draco. I had help from my muggle neighbor. She's a midwife and helped with the birth. After I recovered, the first few weeks I was just too busy with learning to be a mother but as winter approached I realized how alone I really was. It was hard, specially the last week when I ran out off money."

Ginny closed her eyes to blink a tear away. Draco carefully wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.

"I…I…honestly never considered that people would be understanding." Ginny sobbed. "I'm so sorry."

They all waited for Ginny to calm down a bit. After ten minutes and a steaming cup of tea Ginny turned to Draco.

"Tell me what happened to you all?" she whispered. She looked at Draco because she wanted to hear his story the most. Draco sighed and kissed her hand.

"It was hard." He sighed. "McGonagall knew about us, how and why I do not know but she knew. The day of the return after Christmas I went to see her to ask where you were. She told me you ran away. That evening I received your first letter. I cried for hours." He confessed. "The next morning I hired the best private detective I could find. I told him to search for you until he found you. After a week or so he reported that you were seen in Scotland but when he arrived you were already gone. I wrote you every day, begging to come back but the owls would either return after weeks or wouldn't return at all."

"I never received any of them." Ginny whispered.

"I just hoped that one would find you. One day McGonagall suggested that I should meet your parents and that we would combine our forces. Your parents had hired an old auror as well and it seemed silly to have two detectives working on the same case but not together. She even set up the initial meeting. I was afraid that once they knew about us they would blame me for everything and your father did but your mother took me in like one of your brothers. She was so sweet about everything. She invited me over for Easter so we could have the free week to search for new clues. That was when I told my parents about you, I just didn't want to lie any more."

"You spend Easter at the Burrow?"

"Yes, your family is so nice."

"My brothers were nice to you?" Ginny asked in complete shock.

"Not at first but once they saw how much time I was spending trying to find you they accepted me. Three days in Hermione found out why you ran away."

"How?"

"The letters, the fact that you had morning sickness and she found her book with your book marker on the page with the revealing charm. The pages were drenched with dried tears. It took her some explanation to convince me but I remembered the times we had been together. I remembered never even questioning it was safe. I'm sorry about that."

"Don't be, continue."

"Hermione estimated how much time we had to find you before you would give birth. I really didn't want you to go through that alone. I just couldn't accept that I wouldn't be there. I told the detective to use all channels available, magical and muggle to find you. A few days later he send a report that you were seen in Ireland. Those reports just didn't stop. Every now and then a muggle or witch would report seeing you. Harry and Hermione were at the manor with me planning a long trip to search for you when your letter arrived. The one that confirmed to us that the child was born." Draco's voice was heavy with emotions. "After that we left for a long camping trip, combing through the northern part of Ireland. We were joined by your brothers, your father. Mum and your mother even went on a trip together. When the summer ended I decided to stay in Ireland and with Halloween I heard you were seen in Belfast. I rented a hotel room there. I started to loose hope that I would find you when Harry and my mother joined me. In your last letter you said you were reading the prophet. Mum though that maybe you had a prescription and Harry contacted Kingsley immediately to get a list with addresses of all those living in this area how get the prophet. It took us the last two days to find you. This address was my last hope."

Draco fell silent as Ginny filled in the gaps herself. She marveled at the fact that her family had accepted the Malfoys so easily and that they had worked so hard to find her. She was shocked to realize that Draco never even tried to continue his life without her. It pained her that she had hurt him so much. She truly believed it was for the best but it seemed that she was mistaken.

"I'm really sorry." Ginny whispered. "Really. I should never have left. I should have returned when I saw the letters from my parents in the prophet. I really thought I was doing the right thing." She sobbed.

"It's alright, everybody makes mistakes. Important is that you learn from it and what you are going to do now." Narcissa said.

"You are already forgiven, love." Draco whispered.

"Really Ginny, of course we will forgive you." Harry told her.

"But I have caused so much pain. To all of you. To my family. They will kill me."

"Of course not. They will kill me for getting you pregnant but they will be too happy to see you alive and well to harm you." Draco said.

"Don't they know already?"

"No." Harry chuckled. "Hermione thought it was better for his safety that it remained a secret until we found you."

"So, who knows about Cissy?"

"Only we and Hermione." Draco answered. Ginny nodded and look at the small sleeping form of her daughter.

"What are we going to do now? I made a real mess." Ginny sighed.

"Can I offer a suggestion?" Narcissa asked.

"Of course."

"Come to the manor, stay with us while we think of a good way to bring the news to your family. Harry can inform Hermione and she can come to the manor as well. Although I agree that you have to be cautious about how you present Cissy to them. I'm rather fond of my son but your parents do have the right to know that we have found you."

"That's a good idea, Ginny. Come back to England. Come back home. You know that your family won't hold it against you once you explained it all." Harry said.

Ginny was a bit stumped by it all. She really appreciated Narcissa's offer. It was a good plan and she knew Harry was right but she had been living alone for almost a year. She wasn't sure if she could handle the hectic of the Weasley family all at once. She really missed them and wanted to see them but for now she just wanted to be with her daughter and with Draco. She needed time and peace to come to terms with her mistakes.

"What do you think?" she asked Draco.

"As much as I agree that you need to get back in contact with your family, I would really like some time with you, alone. I really would like to get to know my daughter without a whole pack of Weasleys cooing over her but that would be really selfish."

"No, it isn't because I want that time as well. But we can do that at the manor. I'm very sure your mother won't mind giving us some time." Ginny said, as she looked pleading to Narcissa.

"Of course not. I have seen how your family can be and I understand that after living on your own for a year that the hectic would drive you crazy."

"Yes, they can." Ginny chuckled.

"So you are coming to the manor?" Narcissa asked.

"Yes, but not tonight. Cissy needs feeding soon and sleep."

"That's alright, that gives the elves some time to get the nursery set up in the room next to Draco's." Narcissa smiled. She got up and handed the small smiling girl to Ginny. "I would really love to see her running around in the manor's gardens one day. Will I really see you tomorrow?"

Ginny glanced at Draco and nodded.

"Yes, we will be there tomorrow."

"Than I better hurry. The elves would want to sleep somewhere tonight." Narcissa smiled and swept down to kiss both Cissy and Ginny. "I'm honored that you named her after me." She turned to Draco and kissed him as well. She waved as she walked out to apparate.

"I'll tell Hermione that you are alright but tonight is Christmas eve do you want to wait to tell them or…" Harry said.

Ginny looked at him, she understood what he meant. Her family wouldn't enjoy Christmas without her. Not while they thought she was still missing but to tell them where she was would mean that her family would invade the building and it would be done with the peace that she now needed.

"I know I need to contact them. It wouldn't be right for them to spend Christmas eve without knowing but…"

"You don't want them running in." Harry finished for her.

"Is that selfish?" she asked shyly.

"No, they just have to accept that things have changed. Ginny, maybe you haven't realized it yourself but you are a mother now. An adult, one who needs her own space to raise her child and makes her own decisions. I know that Molly can be a bit demanding and overwhelming but she just has to accept your decisions." Harry told her. Ginny nodded in agreement and thought about a proper solution.

"Are you going to the Burrow tonight?"

"If you want me too."

"Please, I'll write a letter to my family can you give it to them?"

"Of course."

Ginny nodded and turned to give Cissy to Draco. He smiled at he took the little girl in his arms.

 _Dear family,_

 _First I want to tell you all how sorry I am for causing you all unnecessary pain. I now know that in my panic I made a wrong decision, I should have never left._

 _Over this year many things have happened that make me look different at life and at what my life is about. This is the reason that I can't return to the Burrow right now. Although believe me that I want nothing more than to spend Christmas eve with my family._

 _I can't explain everything in a letter it's too complicated for that but I promise that I explain everything in person when I see you again. I promise that day will arrive before the New Year._

 _Draco is with me now and I'm in good hands. Please do not loose your faith in me._

 _Love Ginny._

G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G

An hour after Harry left Ginny and Draco were lying in bed while Ginny was feeding Cissy. Draco watched the two girls in silence for a long time. When she finished Ginny changed herself and Cissy into their sleeping outfit and lay the little girl in her crib.

"Sleep well, little one, tomorrow a whole new world is waiting for us." She whispered and returned with Draco to the bedroom. With a heavy yawn Ginny crawled against him. It felt so good to not sleep alone.

"Tired?" Draco asked.

"Yeah, my head just won't stop spinning. I can't believe this is real."

"I'm happy it is real." Draco whispered.

"Hmmm, I really hope it is." Ginny whispered.

"Sleep love, tomorrow we start over again."

G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G

Two days later Ginny and Draco were sitting in the large living room of the Malfoy manor watching their daughter and waiting for Harry to return with Hermione. It was the first step in reconnecting with her family.

The two days at the manor had been magical. The elves had created the most beautiful nursery and Narcissa had taken it on herself to buy as much clothes and toys as she thought a girl needed. She even had a dressmaker come over to make Ginny new robes. Besides that Narcissa left them to themselves. Draco and Ginny took the time to talk, to catch up on what had happened in the world and to enjoy their daughter.

The first evening in the manor Draco had taken Ginny and Cissy for a stroll through the garden and after that they had put Cissy in her new crib. For an hour they had watched the little girl sleep. When Ginny had turned to go to her own bed Draco had stopped her.

"Ginny?"

"Yes?"

"I want to give you something." He had said in a whisper.

"Oh?"

"It's something I have carried with me since Christmas last year." He said as he handed her the small jewelry box. She looked at it for a second than slowly opened it. Draco slowly sank down on one knee and looked up at her. "I wanted to give it to you the day we graduated. I had imagined to take you to the lake and do this while the sun was setting. It was my idea of romance but this, with our daughter sleeping safely, it makes it even more special. Ginerva Weasley, will you please stay with me forever, will you marry me?"

Ginny started to shake as she looked him in his grey eyes. Every emotion she had felt the last year ran through her before she realized that Draco was waiting for an answer.

"Yes. Of course." She whispered and sank down to kiss him.

That night had been perfect, now she was quivering with nerves.

"Ginny, love, it will be alright. Hermione will understand."

And she did. After she finished crying, yelling and demanding from Ginny to make an unbreakable vow to never leave again, she had cried some more. After Hermione stopped crying and yelling they were able to introduce her to Cissy. Like Narcissa, Draco and Harry, Hermione fell completely under the spell of the little girl.

Once Cissy slept they took the time to discus the problems at hand.

"Your family is very anxious to see you. We almost had to stun them to prevent them from following us." Hermione said.

"How did they react to my letter?"

"Different, your mother cried and begged Harry to take her to you, your father was silent. The twins told your mother that you will visit them once you are ready. Ron was angry with Draco for being with you. Bill wanted to know if you were really okay and Fleur hit the jackpot. She wanted to know if you had been pregnant and if that was why you ran away. Harry nearly choked, so Fleur knows now as well but she promised to keep it quiet until you had the chance to tell them yourself." Hermione explained.

"What do you suggest I should do?" Ginny asked Hermione. Although Ron and Hermione weren't living at the Burrow anymore they stayed there for dinner every other night. Hermione knew what was going on in the family.

"Depends on what you want, you could go to the Burrow and have it done with. You will probably suffer from being overwhelmed with your mother's mothering behavior and with your brothers all wanting you to talk. Also you'll have to defend Draco because they will be angry with him but you know it will only take thirty minutes and after that you will have to set up some limits. Create your own rules and tell your mother to keep to those rules because otherwise she will walk over you."

"Experience?" Ginny asked as she saw the annoyed look on Hermione's face.

"Too much." She groaned. "Anyway you can do that or you can invited them over one by one and explain it all in quiet. To be honest I think it's best to just be done with it."

G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G

And that was what they did. They had asked Hermione to inform the family that Ginny would visit the Burrow in two days. It would give her one more day to mentally prepare.

"You can come back here if it gets too much and I'll have the old wards up in seconds." Narcissa promised her future daughter-in-law.

"Thank you, Narcissa, it means a lot to me."

"It's my pleasure. Good luck."

They waved Narcissa goodbye and walked to the apparition spot. They decided to apparate to a spot a mile away from the Burrow. It would give Cissy time to calm down as she didn't like apparating much and it gave Ginny time to deal with her nerves.

Silently they walked to the Burrow, Draco though that Ginny looked green by the time the house come into view.

"Darling, are you sure about this?" he asked as he pulled her to a halt and into his arms.

"I have to do it some day." She sighed.

"I know but if it makes you sick than I'm not sure if it's the right thing to do."

"I'm just nervous and I can't seem to find my Gryffindor courage."

"You have always been so strong, stubborn and focused, becoming a mother has only strengthen that. I am sure that you will be able to handle a family of Weasleys. You did it for all your life. You survived as the only girl. If that doesn't make you strong I don't know what will. Besides if you want out I take you away in a second, just say the words and I have you back at the manor in seconds."

Ginny nodded and handed Cissy to him.

"Here, you take her. They won't attack you with a baby in your arms and it give me the chance to receive all the bear-hugs."

Draco smiled at her and shifted his daughter so his wand arm was free for action. Together they walked towards the crooked house. When the reached the door they heard a hell of a noise. Ginny seriously considered running for it but raised her hand and knock on the door. The door almost flew of it's hinges as her mother threw it open.

"Ginny, oh gods, Gin!" Her mother cried as she pulled the girl into her arms. The hug quickly became too tight and air was difficult to get.

"Molly you are strangling her." Arthur said. Slowly Molly released Ginny and handed her to her father.

"Welcome back, my girl." Her father whispered as he hugged her closely. "Don't ever run off like that again."

"I won't."

After that every brother pulled her in a hug, demanding the same promise from her. Even Fleur cried as she pulled Ginny in a hug.

"Eetz good to have you back." The willowy girl whispered.

As Ginny had guessed the whole room was focused on her and none of them had even looked at Draco. Only Harry had taken his place in front of Draco and Cissy, just like he promised he would make sure Draco and Cissy were protected.

"Why did you leave?" George demanded as he pulled his sister in a hug again.

"Yes, Ginny, we have the right to know why you ran off like that. All your letters told us was that you made a mistake and that it could harm our family and Draco's." her father said as he sat down in his chair. To Ginny he looked at least ten years older.

"Draco?" Ginny asked as she held out her hand, she was shaky and nauseous with nerves. Draco slowly stepped forward and Harry followed him like a bodyguard. Once Draco was in clear view Ginny stepped aside to reveal her daughter. The whole room seemed to gasp.

"Oh, she's beautiful." Fleur recovered first.

"Beautiful yes, but who is she?" Charlie demanded.

"This is Cissy Molly Malfoy, our daughter." Ginny said with more confidence that she really had.

It seemed like the whole room was frozen in time. Ginny nervously fingered her wand as she waited for the room to explode. Harry slowly but surely stepped up next to Draco, gripping his wand tightly he also knew soon it was to explode.

"Ginny, can I speak to you in private?" Her mother suddenly hissed.

"No. I will not be separated from Draco or Cissy. Anything you have to say to me can be done in front of them." Ginny said, she decided that if she was going to sett some boundaries she'd better start early with them. Her mother looked hurt for a second but quickly recognized a very protective mother standing in front of her.

"Alright, would you care to explain this?" Molly all but screamed. With a sigh Ginny launched into her story again. She was telling the same things as she had told Draco on Christmas eve.

"So I have been staying at the Malfoy manor for the last few days. I wanted to have time with my daughter and her father first. They needed time to bond and get to know each other. We needed that time first." Ginny finished.

She closed her eyes for a second before grabbing Draco's arm for support, she felt exhausted from the emotions. He wrapped his arm around his fiancé and pulled her against him, he could feel her shaking from the emotions.

Ginny watched her family absorbing her story, he mother was still looking angry but she found that she didn't care much. What she cared about was the reactions of her brothers and as a true big brother Bill got up and walked towards the small family. His eyes were fixed on Draco but Ginny was relieved to see that he didn't look angry or upset. There was understanding in his face.

"What are you going to do now?" Bill asked Draco.

"I have already done what you are thinking about." Draco whispered. Slowly he raised Ginny's hand to show Bill the engagement ring. Bill looked down at her hand and then at Ginny.

"Will you be happy?" He asked.

"If you all accept this than I'll be the happiest woman in the world. I hope my family can be a part of that happiness." Ginny whispered.

Bill nodded at her and smiled, he quickly wrapped his arms around her and hugged her. After a warm brotherly hug he let her go and gave Draco a one-arm manly hug. With Bill, the eldest of the brothers accepting Ginny and Draco the rest of the family followed. Some of them reluctantly.

G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~G~

"Happy, relieved or wishing that we could run away?" Draco asked Ginny. It was the evening after meeting with her family and after an argument with her mother about her living at the manor and after pulling Cissy away from the long snatching fingers of Fleur and Hermione they had returned to the manor completely exhausted.

"Relieved." Ginny sighed. "I just wish my mother would have been more accepting but I realized that I don't need that to be happy. I have you and Cissy and some very good friends. Those are the things that make me happy."

"Your mother will accept it all in time. She just expected her daughter to return and stay forever. She never expected that you have changed so much, never expected you to be as protective of your family as a lioness and she never expected for you to set boundaries. Soon she will come around, give her time to adjust."

"I hope you are right." Ginny sighed.

"Of course I am, now sleep, tomorrow we start our lives in happiness."


End file.
